Drop-door gondola car.



N0. 697,02I. Patented Apr. 8, I902.

R. V. SAGE.

DROP DOOR GONHOLA CAR.

lApplication filed Oct. 3, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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No. 697,02I. Patented Apr. 8, I902.

R. V. SAGE.

DROP DOOR GONDOLA OAR. !Applica.tion filed Oct. 3, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 2.

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No. $97,112:. Patented Apr. 8, 1902.

R. v. SAGE.

DROP 000B GONDOLA CAR.

lApplxcanon filed Oct. 3, 1901.] (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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inn STATES ATENT GFFICE.

RALPH V. SAGE, OF JOI-INSTOlVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DROP-DOOR GONDOLA CAR.

SBPECIFIQATION formingpart Of Letters l attent N0. 697,021, dated. April8, 1902.

application filed October 3,1901. $erial No. 77,367. (No model.)

. To (LZZ who/2t 1 may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH V. SAGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDrop-Door Gondola Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gondola cars, and especially to drop-bottomsteel gondola cars, and has for its object to provide an improved car ofthis class which will possess points of advantage in facility ofconstruction and simplicity of design and in the arrangement of thedetails, connections, and splices, so that in case of a wreck the carcan be easily repaired without taking the entire car apart.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a car of the classdescribed an improved organization of the body-bolsters and center sillsat the center plates, whereby the buffing and drawing strains aretransferred from the draft-rigging to the center sill and repairs incase of an end collision are made easy.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a car of the classdescribed improved ends which will permit the end doors to be fixed orto be swung around against the side sills and leave the ends of the carperfectly clear or to drop down and remain flat.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a car of the classdescribed improved drop-doors and operative connections which will beout of the way and leave the inside of the car entirely clear for thecargo, thereby increasing the capacity of the car and keeping theoperative connections of the dropdoors out of the cargo, which rendersthem easier to manipulate and all parts of them always accessible.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a car of the classdescribed improved draft-rigging and connections, whereby thedraft-rigging is rendered easy to remove, and its construction issimplified and strengthened and rendered less expensive to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a car of the classdescribed an improved side stake which will tend to cause obstacles toglance off and will possess greater strength and rigidity than-thestakes now in use.

Figure l is a side elevation of a car embodying my improvements, partlybroken away and partly in section. Fig. '2 is a plan view of the same,partly broken away. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is asectional view on the line m 00, Fig, 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on'the line 0; as, Fig. 2. Fig. (i is an enlarged detail View of thedraftrigging and adjoining parts. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectionalview on the line a: m, Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of myimproved side stake.

In the drawings the same reference characters denote corresponding partsin the several views.

In the drawings I have illustrated a steel drop-bottom gondola car 1 ofthe usual ordinary form and construction, to which myimprovements havebeen applied, and any one skilled in the art will understand that thefollowing description is confined to the changes and modifications inthe form, arrangement of parts, and construction of such ordinary carwhich I claim as my invention.

In the form shown in the drawings, and which may be the preferred form,if desired, my improvements comprise a center sill 2, formed of twochannels 3, back to back,or an I-beam of equivalent section, to whichthe floor-plates l and floor-channels 5 are secured in any suitablemanner, herein shown as rivets 6 and angle-plates 7. Each end of thecenter sill 2 is connected to the draft-rigging channels 8 by twochannels 9, with a malleable casting 10 between them, which also forms aseat for the king-pin 11, one of the channels 9 being secured to thecenter-sill 2 in any suitable manner, herein shown as angle-plates 12and rivets 13, and the other channel 9 in like manner to the draft--rigging channels 8. Plates ll are secured at the top and bottom to thedraft-rigging channels 8, the channels 9, and the center sill 2 in anysuitable manner, herein shown as rivets 15, and serve to fasten theparts together and to transfer the bnffing and drawing strains from thedraftaigging channels 8 to the center sill 2.

In the form shown in the drawings, and which, if desired, may be thepreferred form,

the side sills 16 may be composed of channels the lower flange 17 ofwhich may, if desired, be heavier and longer than the upper flange 18,which would serve as a carrying-girder and materially stifien the sidesill 16, said channels acting as the lower flange of the side plates 19,which may be extended down to the bottom of the outside of the channelsand riveted thereto, so as to give a finished appearance to the sides.The side sills 16 extend beyond the side plates 19 at each end of thecarsufficiently to receive the end sills 24 and make a suitable finish.Angles 20 may be riveted along the upper part of the sides to provide atop flange and angle-stiffeners 21 riveted at proper intervals along thesides and crimped at the top to cover the flangeangle 22 on the outsideand give a suitable finish. Instead ofthe angle-stiffeners 21 arolledsteel side stake 23, substantially V-shaped in cross-section, theend being slightly rounded and the ends extended to form flanges, may beused, in which case it may be applied simply as a straight piece or theends bent over and brought in under the side sill l6 and the top crimpedover the side angle at the top.

The advantages of using the side stake 23 are that it presents no anglesto catch against obstacles and that for the same amount of metal itwould be stiffer and less liable to buckle. It is also evident that itmay housed on any car in which side stakes are required.

At suitable points along the sides of the car, preferably over thetrucks, the side plates 19 may be spliced, as at 25, to facilitaterepairing in case of Wreck.

The end doors 26 may be fixed permanently in the ends of the car byriveting their ends to the angles 27 at the ends of the sides; butpreferably such doors 26 will be hinged at one end, as at 28, andprovided at the bottom, nearthe other end, with a roller 28, so thatthey can be turned back against the side sills 16 and leave the ends ofthe cars entirely clear, in which case the rivets in the way of theswing of the doors 26 would have to be countersunk and suitable lockingmeans, as asta'ple and hook 2.), provided, or the doors 26 may be hingedat the bottom and turned down onto the floor of the car, out of the way,in'which case suitable means, as a staple and hook 29, must be providedto hold the doors 26 in their raised position.

In the form shown in the drawings, and which, if desired, may be thepreferred form, a channel 30 extends between two of the floor-channels31 on each side of the center sill 2 and is secured to suchfloor-channels 31 in any suitable manner, herein shown as angle-plates32 and rivets Hinged to the bottom of one of the floor-channels 31 at 34is a drop-door 35, adapted to close the openproximity to said roller 36is a shaft 37, journaled in the side sills 16 and provided near one endwith a ratchet-wheel 38, adapted to engage a pawl 39, suitably mountedon the side of the car, said shaft 37 having its end squared and adaptedto receive a crankhandle by which said shaft 37 may be turned. Eyebolts40 are secured on said shaft 37 in any suitable manner, herein shown asby the passage through a hole in the shaft 37 of the shank 41 of theeyebolt 40 and the screwing of a nut 42 on the end of such shank 41. Amalleable cast lug 43 is secured to the door 35 near the side oppositethe hinges. One end of a chain 44 is secured to-the lug 43 and the chain44 carried over the roller 36 and its other end secured to theeyebolt40. Thus the chain 44 may be adjusted by the eyebolt 40, and byturning the shaft 37 the chain 44 will be wound up upon it and the door35 drawn up against the floor-channel 31, closing the opening.

I also provide improved draft-rigging, which comprises draft-riggingchannels 8, the inner ends of which in the form shown, and which, ifdesired, maybe the preferred form, are secured, as previously described,to the channel l and the top and bottom plates 14. Lugs 45, formedeither of a suitable rolled section or, preferably, of one leg of arolled'channel which has been reinforced by an additional plate 46, aresecured to the draft-rigging channels 8 in any suitable manner, hereinshown by bolts 47, to take the follower-plates 48. To prevent anytendency of the draft-gear to bound up, I secure a channel or bent plate49 between the draft-rigging channels 8 at a proper distance from thetop in any suitable manner, herein shown as rivets or bolts 50. Anotherbent plate 51 is secured at the bottom to the draft-rigging channels 8in any suitable manner, herein shown asbolts 52, and in case theWestinghouse friction draft-gear is used another bent plate 53 isuscd,having in cross-section a middle rectangular portion, circularportions adjoining such middle portions, and on the side of suchcircular portions a portion bent back and then outward to form flanges54, by-which it can be secured on the bottom of the draft-riggingchannels 8 in any suitable way, herein shown as bolts 55. If desired, aplate 56, which may be spliced for convenience of repair, may be securedon the end sill 24 in any suitable manner, herein shown as bolts 57,which gives a finished appearance and at the same time reinforces andstrengthens the sill 24 and can be removed to permit the draft-riggingto be easily removed.

The operation and advantages of my improved steel gondola car are easilyunderstood and appreciated. By the use of two channels back to back oran I-beam of similar section for the center sills 2 and channels for theside sills 16-that is, ordinary merchantable shapes no special machineryor other preparation is required to produce them, and they can bereadily procured of any desired dimensions easily, promptly, and atrelatively small cost, while their form gives the greatest strength toresist transverse strains possible for the amount of metal employed.They are also readily secured to other parts. The separation of thedraft-rig ging channels 8 from the center sill 2 and the position andmanner of oonnectingthem and at the same time providinga seat for thekingpin 11 offer many advantages in the way of distribution of strainand combination of strength. The lugs 4:5, if made in the pre-- ferredform of one leg of a channel reinforced, are likewise readilyprocured atsmall cost and are of very convenient and effective form, and thedraft-rigging as a whole is simple, strong, durable, and easily takenapart and repaired. The spliced sides render them easy of repair, andthe location of the drop-doors and their connections enlarge thecapacity of the car by freeing its interior and are out of the cargo,when the caris loaded, and easier of access and manipulation at alltimes. The organization of the end doors 26 so that the ends of a carcan be practically freed of obstruction is of great advantage, asrailroad men will readily understand. The whole car by the improvedconstruction and organization of its parts is rendered easier ofconstruction and at less cost and less liable to injury, and wheninjured the injury is localized and limited to a great extent andrepairs made easy, and the yarious parts are easily gotten at andremoved and replaced.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts as herein described andillustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may bemade in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, in theadaptation of the device to various conditions of use, without departingfrom the scope and spirit of my invention and improvements. 1 thereforereserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properlyfall within the scope of my invention and terms of the following claims.Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters. Patent 1. The combination with a car-body, of a center sillcomprising two channels back to back or an I-beam of the same section,draftrigging sills comprising two channels, of a pair of spaced channelssecured at their opposite ends to said draft-rigging sills and the innerof said spaced channels also secured to said center sill, a body-bolstersecured to the outside of said draft-rigging sills, and top and bottomconnection-plates secured to said center-and draft-rigging sills and tosaid bolster.

2. In a steel gondola car,an improved draftrigging comprisingdraft-rigging channels; lugs formed of one leg of a channel reinforcedand secured to the draft-rigging chan nels, said lugs adapted to takethe followerplates; aohannel secured between. the draftrigging channelsnear the top; and bent plates secured to the bottom of the draftriggingchannels.

An improved steel gondola car, comprising a center sill formed of twochannels,

back to back, or an I-beam of the same section; draft-rigging embodyingdraft-rigging channels; a pair of channels, secured to the draft-riggingchannels and to the center sill; a malleable casting between such pairof channels, adapted to receive the king-pin; and plates secured at the.top and bottom of said channels, the draft rigging channels and centersill.

at. An improved steel gondola car, compriss.

atintervals; rolled-steelside stakes,V-shaped' in cross-section; anangle secured along the top of the sides to form the top flange; enddoors hinged at one side and provided at the bottom near the other sidewitha roller, said doors adapted to fold back against the sides of thecar and means for fastening the door in a closed position.

6. An improved steel gondola car, comprising center sills formed of twochannels, back to back, or an I-beam of the same-section; side sillsformed of channels and extending beyond the ends of the side plates;end-sills secured in the ends of the side sills; side plates extendingdown to the bottom of the outside loo of the side sills, the sides beingspliced at intervals; an angle secured along the tops of the sides, toform the top flange; rolled-steel side stakes, V-shaped incross-section, secured at intervals to the sides as stiffeners; enddoors hinged at one side and provided at the bottom near the other sidewith a roller; a dropdoor hinged to the bottom of one of thefloorchannels; and means for closing and holding said drop-door closed.

7. An improved steel gondola car, comprising center sills formed of twochannels, back to back, or an I-beam of the same section; side sillsformed of channels and extending beyond the ends of the side plates; endsills secured in the ends of the side sills; side plates extending downto the-bottom of the outside of the side sills and secured thereto; enddoors hinged in the ends of the car; drop -doors hinged to the bottom ofone of the floor-channels; a shaft; chains secured at-one end to theshaft and at the other end to the dropdoors; and draft-rigging embodyingchannels secured to each other and to the center sills and lugs formedof one leg of a channel reinforced, said lugs being secured to thechannels and adapted to take the follower-plates.

secured in the ends of the side sills; side plates extending down to thebottom of the 8. An improved steel gondola car, comprising center sillsformed of two channels, back to back, or an I-beam of the same section,side sills formed of channels and extending beyond the ends of the sideplates; end sills plates extendingdown to the bottom of the outside ofthe side sills and secured thereto; end doors hinged in the ends of thecar; dropdoors hinged to the bottom of one of the floorchannels andadapted, when closed, to abut against another; a shaft jou'rnaled in theside sills and extending transversely beneath the car; rollers securedto the floor channel against which the drop-doors abut; malleable castlugs secured to the drop-doors near their free edges; chains secured tosuch lugs and to the shaft and passing over the rollers; and means foroperating the same.

9. An improved steel gondola car, comprising center sills formed of twochannels, back to back, or an I-beam of the same section; side sillsformed of channels and extending beyond the ends of the side plates; endsills secured in the ends of the side sills; side outside of the sidesills and secured thereto; end doors hinged in the ends of the car;dropdoors hinged to the bottom of one of the floorchannels and adaptedto abut against another; a shaft journaled in the side sills andextending transversely beneath the car; rollers secured to the channelagainst which the drop-doors abut; malleable cast lugs secured 1 to thedrop-doors near theirfree edges; chains secured to said lugs and shaftand passing over-the rollers; draft rigging embodying draft-riggingchannels, and lugs formed of one leg of a channel reinforced and securedto said draft-rigging channels to take the follower-plates; a pair ofchannels, one secured to the draft-rigging channels and the other to thecenter sills; a malleable casting between such pair of channels, adaptedto form a seat for the king-pin; and top and bottom plates secured tosaid pair of channels, draft-rigging channels and center sills.

10. In a steel gondola car, the combination with, an improveddraft-rigging comprising draft-rigging channels, lugs formed of one legof a channel reinforced and secured to the draft-rigging channels, saidlugs adapted to take the follower-plates; and a channel secured betweenthe draft rigging channels near the top, of a bent plate having arectangular central portion, circular portions adjoining such centralportion and side portions bent back and outward to form flanges adaptedto be secured to said draft-rigging channels, said bent plate adapted toreceive the friction draft-gear.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of thesubscribing witnesses.

RALPH V. SAGE.

Witnesses:

WM. 1?. PARKER, W. M. MOKEE.

